Wireless mobile devices are becoming increasingly distributed using a subscription model. Examples for a wireless mobile device may include a class of notebook or laptop computers referred to as a netbook. Netbooks are a rapidly evolving category of small, light and inexpensive laptop computers suited for general computing and accessing web-based services. A subscriber may enter into a subscription agreement with a wireless service provider to pay periodic charges for network services and in return receives a wireless mobile device. In some cases, however, a malicious subscriber may not return a wireless mobile device when terms of a subscription agreement expire or are violated, effectively stealing the wireless mobile device. Although a wireless service provider may cancel network service, a malicious subscriber may still use the stolen wireless mobile device as a computing device. Consequently, there is a substantial need for enhanced theft deterrent techniques to solve these and other problems.